Whiskey & Wisdom

Take Advantage of Every Opportunity, with Denis Ing

December 07, 2022 Denis Ing Episode 44
Whiskey & Wisdom
Take Advantage of Every Opportunity, with Denis Ing
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Show Notes Transcript

This week we bring on Denis Ing, co-owner of Rounds Golf Lounge & Ledo's Pizza. We discuss taking advantage of every opportunity, scooter life, and find out why Denis pulled his pants down during the podcast! A very first on the show 😂 

Look out for our Howler Head giveaway this week!

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How to find us:
Whiskey & Wisdom: @whiskey.and.wisdom
Chris Kellum: @ctkellum
LinkedIn: Christopher Kellum
Tyler Yaw: @tyler_yaw_
LinkedIn: Tyler Yaw

Chris:

Welcome back you guys this week we are mixing it up. We are like Tyler mentioned, we're doing giveaways. So we're giving away a bottle of hollerer heads since we are hollerer head ambassadors. That

Tyler:

is correct. Yeah. So reached out to them. I saw that they were doing Heller, head ambassadorships when Dana White introduced it and I was like, you know what, let's sign up for this. And we literally signed up for their Heller head. Am ambassadorship the same exact month that we started Whiskey and Wisdom. And it took a little bit of convincing, but they decided to let us in even underneath the limit that we had at the time for the number of followers and listeners. So greatly appreciative of Haller Head and all of the free Haller head that they have given us over the months.

Chris:

So we're given that out this week. And because it is an early morning mix up, unfortunately I forgot to bring the stuff to make Haller head smoothies. So we're just gonna drink on something we've already had on the podcast. We're doing Uncle Nearest to start with the 1884 when we had on with Emmy a while

Tyler:

back. Yeah. And we'll try some more Hollerer head too. Yes. It's always fun to drink

Denis:

Smooth one. We're gonna do it different. We're gonna try a variety here. Exactly.

Tyler:

bringing Dennis on the one of the masters of Whiskey and Wilmington. So gotta do it a little bit different this

Denis:

way. Yeah, it's Tyler and Chris Snow when you come to rounds. If you catch'em on a good day, you're gonna catch some samples by Exactly.

Chris:

But yeah, so this week we do, we brought on Dennis,

Denis:

what's your last name? Ing i n g. Okay. Yeah. It's a Jared. I make words into a verb, so like Right.

Chris:

I never, I just, Tyler's like, go see Dennis. I'm like, okay,

Denis:

I like

Chris:

that. I love it. But yeah, we're gonna sip on some, talk a little bit, figure out why he was in New Zealand and probably figure out also what got him into rounds.

Tyler:

Yeah.

Denis:

So co-owner of rounds. Yeah. Yeah. With John Spencer. One of my best friends mentor, great guy, second family. Nice. But life got me into rounds. Yeah, definitely.

Tyler:

So tell us kind of how it started and everything, how you got to Wilmington and where you are today.

Denis:

I am a con. I was born in Key West. Okay. One of the few, my mom always said, be proud. Most children are only conceived there Right. We're actually born in Key West. Good point. And yeah, we're considered con kids and I have a whole flag from Florida. It's like the Con Republic. Oh wow. My dad was Coast Guard captain. My mom, they met in Coast Guard Academy. Her dad was a Coast Guard admiral. He is pretty much a legend who I'm named after. He is John Dennis Crowley, my dad's Brian Ing. But he coast Guard captain, moved around a lot every two years. Constant moving. Mm-hmm. Ended up in Northern Virginia when he got off ships and went into like Coast Guard headquarters. My mom wanted to settle there for school systems. You know, Fairfax County's up there. Yeah. Yeah. My best up there. Went to West Virginia for three years and left cuz I was gonna die. The place is crazy. Oh yeah. But ended up going home and my sister went to c w. and I was just working up there trying to figure out what I wanted to do. And she was a sophomore in college here and she wanted to move out for her junior year. She's a smart one, so she graduated early and she, for her last year, she just wanted to live off campus. She just didn't wanna live with random people. And so she asked me to be a roommate. Yeah. I was like, what's Wilmington back then? This is 14 years ago. She was like, it's a college town. There's a beach here. And I had some friends that had gone here as well. And was like, you know what? Fuck it. Like, what's life? Yeah. You know? And talked to my buddy Dustin Walsh and I was like, yo. He moved out to San Diego. He's one of the best friends. He bartended it around town for a long time. You might know him, but we moved down here on a whim like two months later. We were in Wilmington. Oh, wow. Yeah. Just up virgin and, you know, never looked back. I love it though. This is home, you know, in Wilmington. And then I First job here was at Kill Winds, scoop of ice cream. I just needed a job. I was 23 years old, no idea what Wilmington was. And yeah. And then that I got into restaurants. Well, I've been in restaurants pretty much not 14. My parents were like, Hey, congratulations, you're 14. Go get a job. You get a worker's permit. Yeah. Here's your worker's permit. Go. Yep. You know, I fell into, I was doing landscaping, I hated that. And then I, you know, fell in a restaurant. So I've been in'em for about 22 years now. Wow. And all that is just like, kind of led life leads you to where you end up, you know, it's butterfly effect decisions. You kind of just, it's weird. You know, you think back on it and you're like, I don't even know how I got here. Yeah.

Tyler:

I've had that a few times. I completely understand. So where does New Zealand fall into

Denis:

all of that? Well, I was here and I was just, you know, here, and I was 29 and there's a thing called a working holiday visa. Mm-hmm. If you're under 30, it's actually under 35, 44 different countries offer it. And I, I. Tell everybody you should look into it when you can because you only get one chance in life. And in your twenties your responsibilities are minor compared to anything going forward. Right. You know, and it's wild if you just don't just take a leap every once in a while just to let it's for yourself mostly. And people ask why I even found New Zealand and I was like, I don't know, I just always seen it on in pictures and I wanted to make sure it was real. Mm-hmm. you know what I mean? I'm like, I, it was completely across the world. The lowest on the, on the globe. The lowest country. Yeah. And it took a 13 hour flight from LA to get there, you know, it's Wow. Insane. I was 18 hours. You're in tomorrow. Yeah. You know, it's weird. And so I just found New Zealand and it's like the safest place in the world. There's no dangerous animals there. And. you can hike anywhere you want. No poisonous plants. It's just incredible. Australia, everything kills you. Right. New Zealand, we talked about that too. New Zealand, everything is just plush. The people are, it's amazing. And I tell everybody, I'm like, Wilmington kind of makes me feel like that because of the genuineness you find. Mm-hmm. you know, from conversa, just commonality. I'm not saying everybody, but on the overall, the people who are stationed here and they found Wilmington and appreciate the coast life are very similar to over there, where everyone just is more about like uplifting other people. Mm-hmm. like their friends, supporting them, taking care of their community and like living Well, it's a fit community here. It's a fit over there. Everyone's walking, you know? I don't know if you guys are traveling in Europe or mm-hmm. everyone's walking. It's always Exactly. It's a fit, fitter lifestyle than we have in America. Mm-hmm. But over there it was even more so about like very Wilmington que. People are just genuine. You, you go to the grocery store here and you're like, please don't see anybody. I don't, I I gotta be quick. I don't have an hour for a quick combo. Yeah. But so yeah, yeah, Chris knows. See somebody and you're like, it's like, right. I gotta make this quick buddy. Good to see you. How's family? Da da da da. But yeah, sold everything I owned when I was 29 years old, except for my car. Yeah. Left it at my dad's house and went to New Zealand and traveled. With that you get a year visa. Okay. I traveled Thailand for 68 days. Oversay my visa That was a terrifying experience. Leaving the airport. go through security. I'm like, ready? The last thing and. Four dudes come up, tie guys, and they're like, you need to come with us. And I was like, oh did somebody slip something in my bag? I'm like, oh my god. Locked up abroad. Exactly. And they're like, they're like, here's your visa. It's only 60 days in Thailand. Most countries are 30. And they're like, you've stayed 68. Like what are you doing? Are you trying to, whatever? And I was like, oh my God. I read my visa, like the passport stamp wrong and I mix up my dates. Oh yeah. And yeah, I had to pay like a thousand dollars or what?$450 fine US dollars. But again, thought I was going to jail in Thai. I was gonna say, yeah,

Tyler:

450 bucks is definitely getting off easy as opposed to going to some jail in Thailand

Denis:

for however long. Right. For eight days of trip. Exactly. So went 68 days there, then spent time in Indonesia, like 26 days in Indonesia. Chango is my favorite place in the whole world really. It's. Unbelievable. It's a very, you know, a lot of people do podcast photography, marketing that live there from all over the world, but it's just a very homey beach community. Surf is amazing. Restaurants, small little community. Everything's on scooters. I got a little scooter tattoo on my thigh. Rachel did it for me. Yeah. I'll show you guys here. Right. Actually see it. She did this at my house. That's awesome. And I, well, you thought it was just gonna fall off, but I call it scooter life, you know, I always have this, and I'm like, it's scooter life when you go on traveling and it's like these, it's mental state, you know what I mean? When you're there, you're popping on a scooter and you're like, ah, what's my day? What's, it's mental, it's, and so yeah. So it's this scooter community in Chango. It's the food. Everything is just so peaceful, you know? And it's, again, it's that mental state that I don't know, traveling. And I've guessed this experience kind of brought back for me. So I lived in New Zealand and then you with the visa, you can only, you're supposed to do part-time work. They want you really all pair wait tables, pick berries and whatever. Supposed for other countries, but I was like, ain't no way I'm gonna survive for a year in New Zealand. Picking berries, waiting tables. Yeah. So I went on their monster.com website and whatever they theirs is right. And I got a corporate job. Oh really? I got a company car, company car, phone, salary, bonuses. Oh wow. I was selling point of sale systems and like credit card readers. Oh. So it's what's interesting and what's crazy is this whole experience New Zealand is like the credit card test site. Cause if you think about it, it's, it's moment, it's where Visa and MasterCard are headquartered, right. Vera phone and Angelo are the two credit card processing companies are also headquartered there. But it's the size of California. There's only four and a half million. Oh wow. So when they, they test market stuff. So like the tapping goes that we have now. Mm-hmm. yeah. 10 years, eight years ago, literally I was demoing this in New Zealand and it took us eight years. That's crazy to get this. Now sometimes I go into like gas stations and I see the card swipers and I was like, wow, I was changing these out eight year, these probably came from there. Right. and are here and it's insane to me. But you think about that, it's like, again, time experiences. Like I would never have known how like far ahead some other places are like with like that, but they test stuff in New Zealand and if it works, it works. Like the tap and go. Yeah. If it doesn't, they pull it out. Never the worst of the world. Never knows. That's crazy.

Tyler:

Especially like a place like New Zealand, because when I think New Zealand, I think same thing, like you see it in pictures, like does this place exist? It's like, the only thing I know that comes from

Denis:

is the All Blacks. Oh yeah. No, it is, it's insane. Dude. The, the North island of New Zealand is like the. Plush. The Hobbit was filmed up there. Yeah. Oh, okay. You know, that's where it was. It's plush, coastal, gorgeous surf, gorgeous beaches. And you go to the south island and it's winter, it's all mountain ranges and it's two completely different worlds. And it's, you gotta spend time there though, I recommend, besides what it did for my life, like as far as that trip and experience New Zealand is like somewhere I, and besides that and Chango. Mm-hmm. two most amazing places. Highly recommend. You will never regret that trip. It's not something you'll ever feel. Not safe. Yeah. It's just worth going to see again and like experience and be like, wow, this is like a paradise. Yeah. You know, it's crazy. They have more food sniffing dogs in the airport than drug sniffing dogs. Really? They protect their e ecosystem like that. Yeah. They don't want. People bringing seeds in, you know, and changing whatever they have. Like, like when I walked in there was a big picture of a fly and they're like, have you seen this fly? It's a bot fly. Cause like somehow it came across into New Zealand and they want to eradicate it cuz it's, and I was like, this is insane. That's so crazy. Yep. Seen that guy kill him on site. Yeah. I love, I hate flies. I got a assault gun at rounds. Yep, exactly. But yeah, the rap, I came back and then I known John for years. Just kind of like circled the whole story back on how it all came. And he was getting into a franchise back then. It was called Charlie grs. Yeah. And he bought Northern South Carolina as a territory and interviewed with him and became his director of operations. So I was running both and we opened up, you know, About nine stores, not us, but like overseeing like franchisees and stuff like that. And eventually that ended up failing for whatever reason, us not at fault, you know, it's franchise. We were just a part of it. And I got into real estate and so at towards the end I knew that I didn't want to be in that anymore. I tried to get outta restaurants as hard as I could actually And so I got into real estate and it was going great. And then about six months after I got my real estate license, well, me and John, so John is very much more he's a scientist. Yeah. So he is very much more analytical and I'm kind of more open. I can take ideas, breaking apart, put'em back together in a very weird way business wise and like, and so we would always converse about stuff. He, I'd go to lunches with him. He would have pitches and I would hear him and then we'd talk about it and, you know, he would want, you know, and so we just listened to a bunch of stuff. Rounds came about. We added an original partner who. This guy Bryce, who's no longer with us. He's alive, but not to us. Right. Yeah. And you know, he just, he came up with this idea for a simulator gym and it was to train golfers to rehab their swing. And it was cool, but like, when we went back, I was like, I don't think this is cool for him if you're an investment idea, but I, something clicked. I was like, I love the simulators though. Yeah. I was like, we got ahead of this curve. Mm-hmm. you know, if you're think of it now, it's people are starting to catch on and, and Covid obviously changed where our trajectory, I believe initially was gonna go. I still think we can reach growth and expand, but we were way ahead, you know, when we first started this idea. So I told John, I was like, I love the simulators, but imagine if we take the gym away. And it took us pretty much until we built out to get that out of his, that Bryce's mind that there's not gonna be a gym. He wanted a gym there, even with a restaurant and a bar. And I was like, you're, this is insane so I was like a bar and a restaurant and simulators and multiply'em. That's a venue. Yeah. I'm like, and we originally built it for is yes, you have the golf side, you can do that, but at the same time, it's something fun for families and also adults to do. Mm-hmm. you know, me and John talk about this all the time, it's, we want an upscale sports venue bar, you know? Yeah. Because as you get older, like I don't, wild wing is fun, but like people are like, watch that. And you're like, whoa. Which tv? Yeah. You know, I can't handle it in there. Add my sound, like the noise. It's a lot. Yeah. I can't, I don't personally as I got older, I don't like that anymore. Yeah. I don't know. They teach their own, but it's a little lot, you know, when you go in those places, like mm-hmm. and so we just wanted somewhere cleaner that you feel good going on a date on, or with your boys, you can come hang out or at lunch, you know, it's not like you're like, it could easily become like the 19th hole or a man cave. Yeah. Or you know, who knows mm-hmm. And so we kept it clean and and Bryce was with us and he, I, so my role was supposed to just build it, design it, and I built our original menu. And then we brought Litos in a year after, just in North Carolina. Food rest. We had restaurant qualified, you know, it was a great menu. I miss it. It was so good. You remember those days? I do. Yeah. It was very good. You never came through.

Chris:

I, I dropped in once because my friends knew. I don't remember why we were over there. Like they got off of work and then we showed up and we got some food from it. And then I remember going one time and then showing up again. I'm like, this is not the same menu. Not in a bad way, but I was like, I thought there was different

Denis:

food here. People do that all the time. They still come in four years later and they're like, can I get a charcuterie board? I'm like, when was the last time? It's been a while since you've been here, But I was like, I appreciate that you came in the beginning, but I, I love that menu. That was my baby. I built that from scratch. And yeah, I built that from scratch. It was amazing and I miss it. Yeah. But it was, it's more of a cocktail bar menu. Lito's we brought in in February of, or January of 2020. Mm-hmm. Okay. And I love Lidos. Yeah. I believe it has pulled us through Covid because it's a Maryland franchise. I don't know if anybody knows Lido Pizza. Yeah. Oh, you guys know it now? Now I'm from Pennsylvania. Right. Right across the border from, they actually have a couple. They actually have a couple. Yeah. So, but Lito's I believe pulled us through. It has, you know, it's 117 franchises now. Mm-hmm. across Maryland, Virginia, north Carolina's, getting a couple where we were the second, I think there's one that opened in Charlotte recently. There's one in North Myrtle, but it's cuz that migration's happening. Mm-hmm. you know, people are moving down from Virginia, Maryland. Why not bring the brands that are up? Right. You know, we hear that all the. Oh, we retired here. Thank you. Yeah, my grandmother worked at the original and my daughters all worked there. Da da da. You make my retirement, it's over and over. And I, I knew it was a had following, but I never knew it was, it's like blood, right? Yeah. Lido sauce in their blood. Like It

Tyler:

was funny too because I, I go to rounds more than

Denis:

my wife probably wants me to but But with that being said, I catch a lot of my friends telling me like, Hey, we were looking at our monthly budget. Exactly. We spend it somewhere. Right, exactly. And

Tyler:

But like every time I'm in there, there's always someone's like, Hey, I'm from Maryland. I came here because you guys have the Lidos pizza. Yeah. So it's just amazing that, and

Denis:

we're the coolest Lidos. Yeah. That's all, all Lidos are just strip mall and pizza like. We, because we were a pre-established business. So John's from Maryland. This is how we all got into Lidos. We talked about for about eight years, about doing Alitos. Yeah. John's went to University of Maryland. He studied there and he studied pretty much in college at Lido Pizza. The original in Adel or right near College Park. Yeah. And he pretty much studied there. That's where he studied. And so he's a Maryland dude, loves Lidos. We used to go to Merle North Myrtle just to eat, just to see people come to Lidos here. From Fayetteville, from Greenville, from Jacksonville. Wow. From New Bern. We hear this all the time. Like, Hey, we wanted to make a trip to Wilmington for Lidos, and we're gonna shop, da da, da da. But they come all the way for Leos. Yeah. That's crazy. And I'm like, that's crazy. Yeah. That's awesome though, for pizza. Yeah. It's good though. It's different. It's good pizza, by the way. Lito Pizza is phenomenal. We do it different. It's a hand rolled dough. It's a sweet sauce. Mm-hmm. sweet red sauce. It's Nonamer. Yeah. And it's Fresh fresh made Parmer jean or not? Yeah, not not mozzarella, which mo's pizzas are mm-hmm. Yeah. And so it's a unique flavor, but I would say people either like it or they love it. Mm-hmm. people are never like, oh, it's gross. It's always Hmm. And then your second time you're like, damn, try the hot honey pepperoni in your game. Is the world is now changed it's a, it's your New Zealand trip if you try that Right. it literally opens your mind into a different world. It is true though, because

Tyler:

when it comes to pizza, I always get like the same thing no matter where I go. But as you know, every time I come in I'm like, all right, what's a new pizza I can try today? Mm-hmm. it's the only place that I'm willing to go outside of my pizza box.

Denis:

Yeah. I'm a creature of habit. Like I, if I find somewhere I, like, I get the same thing. Mm-hmm. and I'll beat it until I'm over it and I won't eat it for like years. Exactly. But that like, you know, I'm there five, six days a week. Seven sometimes. Yeah. Usually I eat there pretty much every day. Mm-hmm. And then I'm not tired of it, you know, because the menu is pretty expansive. Best Wings. The salads are good if you wanna mix it. Chicken tenders and fries, all the best. Chicken, hams and fries. Oh God. They really are. I'll say Chris is all about that. about

Chris:

every time I come in they're like, Chris, do you want your chicken tenders? Yeah. I was like, yes. And what Whiskey Ghost

Tyler:

Club.

Denis:

what? What do you have new on this wall? Exactly. And then you go, well we got the whiskey club. Exactly. That's also what brings y'all started the maybe this idea that's

Tyler:

that's exactly what it was, because I knew I was gonna create a podcast. Yep. And so we were talking about like, Hey, what are we gonna do?

Denis:

I remember the beginning, I remember

Tyler:

the beginnings way back in the day. Yeah. And you guys started the whiskey club and I was like, I'm gonna join this. I got like three or four into that. And I knew like Chris enjoyed whiskey, but the same like. Two kinds. And then the other guy that we were thinking about bringing on really like whiskey. And I was like, you know what? I'm like at this whiskey club. I'm learning more about whiskey. I'm really enjoying this. Like, let's bring whiskey into it. Yeah. So it was, rounds was a

Denis:

big part of the whiskey. You think that's part of it? You think back on like life experience, how we all got here? It's like, it's crazy how you, you know, I had opportunity to stay in New Zealand. They offered me sponsorship. Oh no. To be there to work at their corporate office. And I came back and you know, it's butterfly effect. Mm-hmm. we all never would've met rounds, wouldn't be here. I would probably have, I was top three in the company by the way, top five. Every quarter until I left. I was just waiting for customs to be like, you have broken every rule. Get the fuck outta our country. But it never happened. And I guess it's, you know, I don't know. But life again, just do things. And sometimes it works out for certain people, sometimes it doesn't. You know, I never gotten any trouble there my whole life. I really haven't, you know, and I, it's. Positivity, you know, go into that. Just like let life be, do good things. Keep your head on your shoulders. Have good motives and good things usually turn out like just, I don't know, I don't have any like nefarious inners, I guess. Right? Yeah. With everything I do, I'm like, I saw, I like to be happy and like hope that good, you know, positive attracts positive. Yeah. And always go in with an open, positive mind. Worst thing that happens is it doesn't work out. If you go in, think it ain't gonna happen, and you're surprised that it does, that's also not a good mindset. You know what I mean? Exactly. You should hope you know what you're doing. Set your mindset to everything you're doing, you know, have intentional things and if it works, it works. If it not, like again, I said worst case is I come back from New Zealand and I just live with my parents. Right? Yeah. But I went, yeah,

Tyler:

exactly. Had that experience, you never would've

Denis:

got up. Yeah. Yeah. Ever. You know, I was, when I was, at that time, I was bartending at Boca Bay and like Wilmington, most people don't know. It's a, it's most. Retirement area for x Fortune 500 CEOs. Oh wow. I didn't, you got a lot of money in Wilmington. Yeah. And you see it more now. You see it now how much money is in Wilmington and it's, it's becoming the South beach. But like a lot of my regulars were these couples in landfall and then they were all on my last night. They all knew I was there for six years and on my last night I built Sunday, Mondays and they all came in and like I got, I like$1,500 for my trip just from that last night. But it was like one couple kind of stuck out cuz like, they were like both in tears that I was leaving. Oh wow. You know, and it was more the like, it was like a second son. They're proud kind of a thing. It was weird to me at the time, but I like, and I see'em now and it's like we don't have that same relationship. But we're so cordial. But it's like, at that, it was like a, they were, cuz the guy was like, I'm just so proud that you're doing this because it's such a crazy thing to do. Mm-hmm. he's like, I spent my whole life building what I have. And he's like, and now we go on these trips and we get a driver and we go out for an hour out of the, the resort and we go for an hour and then we're tired. So we go back to the resort and he's like, I never got to experience, I have all the money in the world now. Mm-hmm. And he goes, I don't have the energy to do anything. You know? Wow. It's like, yeah. In your youth is when you really just gotta take seize. Mm-hmm. And that was one of the things that resonated. And I was like, this dude's worth probably a hundred million dollars. And he, yeah, he's living in great, but he's not, you know? Right. So money is amazing. We all need money, but for me, money is freedom. It's not, the goal is just to do what you wanna do when you want, you know, not to live in other people's terms. Like people get money hungry, you know what I mean? Exactly. And that was his thing. He was money hungry. His whole life. And then at the end he realized he never really lived. He just worked. Mm-hmm. you know, and that's what the regret is. Like I, from that couple crying there at the table, like at the bar, I was like, it brought, I'm a, I'm a sensitive guy. I don't, don't care. I cry movies like, shit. I get attached to people, characters in a movie and I don't know why. And I'm like, she's like, Rachel over here is like, are you crying? I'm like, no. No. I don't know why, you know, it is. But either way, I'm like, that's, I think that's a good thing to do. Yeah. I mean, as people, you gotta feel your feels. Yeah. You know, everything. And that's was one of those moments that made me really appreciate what I did again. Mm-hmm. because it's forever, it's experiences, you know, you can always have things where you can't come back and replace time with what you could have filled that with, you know? Mm-hmm. I don't wanna ever live. I don't regret. I think that's another thing. It's like, don't regret, like what do you change things? Yeah. but regret is something that you're gonna live with. Yeah. You know what I mean? And you're forever, it's gonna toil in you. Mm-hmm. it's that little bit of something that is gonna, and we all have it, but you have to be able to release that, like, right, we are here, this happened. Own it again. Yeah. It's like Exactly. And but yeah, so it's like, I don't, I mean, I don't regret going, would life have been? Never, I don't regret not staying there. Have I thought about what would happen if I'd stayed in New Zealand? Yeah. But I'm like, but again, I can't dwell on that because life is happening now in a great way. Yeah. Right. You know, and so again, back to rounds is like, you know, we're growing, it's like year over year, over year and it's like, you know, this is my life. And Real estate's kind of taking a little second tier shelf. I'm still helping a couple people out with like commercial stuff. Some, one of my friends with residential stuff like that. And. Rounds has grown. So like we're back on the path before Covid mentality. Yeah. To see if potentially we can grow it more. You know, we've had opportunities from people asking about putting it in other cities and we just haven't been there yet. You know, I mean, growing through Covid, our numbers weren't there, but this year we're gonna make a million dollars. Wow. Yeah. That's fantastic. You sell a million dollars of anything. There's something to do that there, people wanted that, you know what I mean? Yeah. And I always thought like, we can't sell a franchise or you can't sell a chain unless you prove that it's worth it. Mm-hmm. and a million dollars is a lot of money. Yeah. And it shows that enough people, you know. So we, we grown it year over year over year now year one to year two, we grew at like 40%. Wow. Year two to year three was 38%. Last year was 28. And this year I'm hoping to hit about 20. Oh wow. Year over year. Yeah. You know, and that, well, hopefully next year we keep that trend going. I'm like, exactly. Because it's only growing here in Wilmington. People are coming back out of like, their shells from covid obviously kind hurt small businesses the most. Yeah. Because restaurants, man, people get weird about it, you know? And it hurt, it hurts. And that's what I love about Wilmington. We support local businesses more than anything. Yeah. If you real, if you look around, there's not many big chains in Wilmington, you know? Right. There's not a red Lobster. Mm-hmm. there's that. Joe's Crab Shack tried to come here, all these big chains cuz they know it was hurt. Our local restaurants. Yeah. And we have more restaurants per capita in Wilmington than anywhere in the US. Oh wow. Not even surprised. That's crazy. But if you're not surprised, that's, think about it though, even at rounds to our left is five guys to our right. Roco across the streets can be crazy and brunches. One strip. Yeah. And then you go, you know, go to Mayfair, you go across the street, you got true blue, you know the salad place, you got oc, you got Bento, you got Epic and you got Vicious Biscuit. I'm like, there is options galore here. And that's what I preach to my staff and my people. It's not just, we're not in the food industry, we're the service industry. Yeah. And that's where it even goes to being just good person. Mm-hmm. you know, be you, be present and be, you know, people have options. Like they don't need to come here to eat Lidos. Yeah. They like it. But like also, you know, how many times have you ever been to going to Chipotle back in the day and you're like, oh, Zoe is over there. Right. Kava. And you're like you know what left? And you're like, just, just like that your boom changed. It's like, but then you're like, wait, Dennis is Bonar. Nah, I don't want that. I don't wanna go see my boy. You know? Or you know, and you're exactly right though,

Tyler:

because I go to places because of people. Yeah. And. Like with rounds, Lito's is awesome. So I get

Denis:

let's some holler hood in here. Yeah. So Tyler, you I drink. You have, I know. I've been taking, I know it's early baby in it. It's early but the Lito's pizzas great. But the round pressure I give to, yeah, exactly. It's exactly what happens. Drink. But that's the point I'm making too though, is like

Tyler:

everyone that works there is awesome. So like when I go there for a lunch break, I don't think I'm going there for a lunch break. I'm going there to hang out with my friends. Like it's, it's a really cool vibe. Everyone there is always off wilmington's like cheer vibe.

Denis:

Yeah. It's exactly what it is. Everyone knows you like, what's up? Yeah. It's almost uplifting. You're like, thank God. You know, you go somewhere else. Yeah. You kinda go to lunch, you're like, All right. Back to work. I feel like you're like, kinda wanna stay Exactly. Yeah. a few times. Then I just am like so we, we have another stand here. I got, I love it though, and I only do it because I enjoy y'all. Like I wouldn't just give away really good whiskey to anybody. Yeah. Yeah. It's like you appreciate it too. You guys come in, you're part of, you know, you hang out and then that's it. Like, you guys are our family too. I'm like, this is a big community of Wilmington and I think that's one of the reasons I'm there a lot, unfortunately. Unfortunately, right. Is Wilmington supports a local owner, you know? Mm-hmm. you know, we have to, if not, what do you like Ash, who I worked for for a long time, I kind of, you know, I've read most of my books that I've took me to get to my mindset too, coming back are leadership and self-help books. It's not and business books. I mean, I don't really, I used to read fantasy and non-fiction or fiction, whatever. I don't, I don't, it's one of those things I'm a remember anymore. Which one's what, what's on D. Right. But not most of'em are just help, help like internal, like recognize himself, like Jay Shetty. I like him a lot. Yeah. Think like one of my favorite books that helped. She just, you gotta release stuff. Yeah. I just read that a few months ago too. Rounding too. Go walk in the grass, you know? Mm-hmm. Barefoot. By the way, when I hear the craziest conspiracy theory Yeah. That I believe I'm about it. Shoes and concrete, you know, it's this connection from yeah. The world. You know, you ever heard of grounding? It's actually. Proven scientifically to like reduce inflammation, depression, anxiety, all these things. And if you look at all of our shoes and how it's created this rubber and what stops electricity, rubber, what about our roads and why is everything sidewalk? Why is there no earth anymore? We're covering it. Yeah. What he thinks in that shit. It's not just con, you know? Right. Crazy conspiracy there, but it's weird. There's a

Tyler:

lot of truth to that. My, my mom's a naturopath as well too, so I, I agree with everything that you say, but something else that's mind blowing as well. So I have a nearly two and a half year old son. Yeah. When he starts getting absolutely crazy. Take him outside barefoot, put him on the ground, and even just walking around. So like people are like, oh, well he is running around. But no, like, if you just like have him sit outside, even just like in shorts and. Completely mellows out without even running or anything. Just

Denis:

mellowness, you know, they do over in like Denmark and Sweden. It's actually a thing. It's like newborn babies, they let'em nap outside in their strollers like on the sidewalk. And what's beautiful about those countries that obviously you don't have to worry about people just taking your kids in America. Right. Obviously never, you know, now that we're in this creepy world that we're in. Yeah. You could never do that. Yeah. But the, even the benefits of that, it like, it, it grows our immune system. That's actually delicious. It's like banana. I like that. It's almost like a rum whiskey.

Tyler:

It is, yeah. Cause it has that extra

Denis:

sweetness to it. But yeah, no, so it's like, you know, that it, it's the earth is so beneficial to like what we are as people and I, again, I, in our busy ass lives, We all forget Rachel just tried this out. You know, you gotta remind, remember just get out, breathe. That's, and going from the whiskey thing, I know that the Whiskey wisdom took a little hit when Tyler was on 75 Hard Yeah. He put me on that and we did it for 50 days. Yeah. Yep. But I'm proud of that. 50 days either way. Mm-hmm. like it wasn't a failure, I was just, life comes and I'm proud that I stopped. We stopped me and Rich did for 50 days straight of no drinking, like, and did the whole program. And then we went to Charleston for a concert cuz we never take trips. And I was like, we're not going to Charleston spending this much money not drinking. Right. I don't, went for a cans concert by the way. Nice. The one of two people I've ever seen live that actually are better live than they are on cd. Oh wow. Other being Red Hot Chili peppers. Oh, okay. She was, Amazing. Rachel. That good? Yeah. That's awesome. It was like, and when I hear the songs now on the radio, I think about her live. It was that good. But that was our Charleston trip, so I was like, let's get drunk. Right. can't blame you there. Well, the hotels ain't cheap. So that's, I was like, if we're spending this, we're taking the night off. Cause we, you know, we're live's busy. She owns her own hair salon. Yeah. Rounds. I'm there six days a week. She's there five days, six, seven. You know, all of us, when you own something, you, you know, it's you. It's you. Exactly. At the end of the day, you know, Johns be sometimes, oh, you working so much, you know, you get some help. I'm like, yeah, but you can't, it's not just like getting help cuz then you lose a piece of the business. Yeah. Like, we're not, you have to, it's intangible parts that are growing us right now. Exactly. Yeah. It's, it's that little bit of extra right now, mostly important is pulling us through in our growth is to, to know when to be, you know, and it's like a. Spider sense. I don't know. It's like mm-hmm. you know, you don't have to be there all the time, but like, there's times when you feel you need to be at your business no matter what. And it's just the benefits of growing it in an intangible way. It's the customer service, it's the, you know, now we're getting in our private parties, it's with employees. It's how I handle situations. It's like it's little things of 22 years of restaurants that like, I can handle people in a different way. Mm-hmm. um, Especially in like a customer service role where, you know, you have to be like, Hey, get the fuck off the bay. Right. Or Exactly.

Tyler:

Your hours

Denis:

grab your mother. Right. 80 asshole. Your hours up. We got seven more people come by and I'm like, oh, let's go. We have to find that. Like co it's like a soft point you can find with people. It's a, it's a, some people have it, you know, and you know, you guys, it's a connection you can make really quickly. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. and you can't. Get it with everybody. It's like it's, but you can't teach it. You can, you can harness it and you can grow it within people and you can pull it out of them. Most people actually, everybody has it. Most people just shove that motherfucker lay down and they're just never want to find that connection with people. I don't know what I am, da da da. And I don't want like people or whatever scorn somebody in their past to make them never even open up that connection. Yeah. Like where you're like, I'm just gonna talk to this person openly, who cares? Who are they to judge me? Who am I to judge them? You know? Right. But everybody holds on to something that their protection, I don't know, force field. So it's like you have to kind of like lose that and and also have confidence be like, Hey, yo, hey, thank you so much. I hope you had a great night. But but Right. It's, it's about time. We are also a business, you know? Yeah. And it's hard, especially in a restaurant world. It's just hard to, oh, sorry. Round things always happening. Restaurants, never stop. And we're running at the time too. I don't know. Yeah, it's okay. We, I

Tyler:

always look in a few extra minutes. Yeah,

Denis:

yeah. It's okay. I just wanted time for you. I appreciate it. But yeah, it's, you just find that like it's being able to communicate something. It's not what you and I try to tell this to and it goes into what I read. You know, it's all the books, self-help, the leadership, the growth, the business. It's not about what you say, it's how you say it and communicate it across. And it's one of those things that's like, you can, like, you just have to understand each individual. Yes. Even my employees, Rachel, you got everybody. Everybody's different. And you have to figure out how to communicate with that one person and when you need something, you know, it's, or when you need to tell them something. Cuz you can always come up in like a pool in a China shop. Like, and what are you gonna get back? A bull standing up to you. Like some people are like, no, no, no, no. I'm a grown up too. You know? Yeah. Like, I tell the people that all the time, I hate when I get fucked up on because I'm like, look, I'm a grownup too. Like, no, you are not just gonna run me over anymore. Like, I'm not a kid. Like, yeah man, I'm half Asian. I look, if I shave I look like I'm 12. But I'm like, nah. Show me the respect I've earned. Yeah. And like, you have to fig, you can't just walk in every situation knowing, thinking that way. I'm like, you have to find that co you know, that you've, it's a molding where you're like, Hey, appreciate everything. You've been great, but hey, your time is up. And most of the time you find that, and then they're like, I'm so sorry. And they, it's quick and it's not like, and I'm like, take your time. But like, guys, like recognize you know, and it's just that on an everyday basis, like, you know, in any issue, like I'm not very confrontational in that way. Mm-hmm. like I. I feel like I could be, I'm a strong, right? Yeah. I, if I, I've scrapped, but like, I don't like to anymore. It's like, like if I can't work it out with my, my mind and conversation, I'm like, I'm much more intellectual on that level now where I'm like, it ain't worth it. Like again, what happens if I come around with the black eye? You're be like, you guys show up What happened? Oh man, this dude bumped me or he said something to Rachel. So we got, you know, okay, well now your opinion of me is like, okay, this is just a barbarian, right? and just wants to fight people. You know? It's like, it's a whole different, like, and I we're young again, you age wisdom. We were just talking about driving down here. I'm like, I don't even care about speeding anymore. Exactly. I was like, watch somebody get pulled over. I'm like, oh, what's three miles an hour? 250 bucks? Exactly. I watching that, but I was like, this is literally what I just don't speed anymore. I was like, yeah, that, that's what happened to me too. Still, man. Get, drink some whiskey, have some wisdom, you know? Yeah. And then slow down. Yeah. It's like what I tell my real estate clients and I tell people that on the regulars that come here and like all the northerners, I'm like, guys, learn to pump the brakes live. Find that, and that's what Wilmington brought for me, New Zealand, is to learn to appreciate and pump the brakes. We're at the coast, how bad could life really be? You got the ocean, you got family, you got friends, you got a job. We're here on this earth. How bad is it? Like slow down. Don't bring that city chaos down here. Like we're here for a reason. And I feel like people kind of lose that when they. Which I don't really go back to Northern Virginia, like love my family, but like I hate going up there. Yeah. It's just chaos. Everyone's like on a bustle, like you don't have that. Go back to that genuineness. Mm-hmm. the potential for a 30 minute conversation standing in front of the romaine lettuce. Us and Harris Teeter Exactly. You don't have that up there. You say eye to somebody and they're like, oh, what do you want? Like, what do you need? You know? It's like that. It's a closed off. And I'm like, I don't here. It's like, but we're getting that mixture now. Mm-hmm. And you feel that. But I'm like, they'll learn. Give'em two, three years. Everybody pumps the brakes when they come down here. It just takes that time. But I'm like, that's a life mind mentality. Yeah,

Tyler:

you're right. I mean, it happened to me too. So I had my DJing company up in pa. I moved down here, I moved it down here and up there it was like moment after moment after moment. You, you're moving quick. Yeah. And so I was down here. I'm like, why aren't you call me back the next day? Why aren't you like emailing me back? Like within. 12 hours. Like I need to know, I need to keep on moving. And it only took about two years and I was like, different way of life. I appreciate

Denis:

it. I need it. Because sometimes you don't want to respond back. Exactly. email or a text and you're like, I, I can't even right now, I will put this on the and there. But you understand it now where you're like, exactly. But up in that city hustle. But even in the hustle. Yeah. No, no, no, no, no. And I'm like, no, no. Your time is more appreciative than that. Mm-hmm. like you don't need to be on everyone else beck and call. Exactly. All the time. Like you gotta be able to disconnect again and go that ground, get some birth. Like appreciate where we're at. Like Don Mental is better than like stressing in the moment sometimes like we talked about, me and Rachel will be out somewhere and I'm like, I can't deal with this right now. You're not golf a lot. Go back around I always tell my buddies, worst thing that ever happens is picking up your phone for a business call on the course your next swing. Horri million times is horrid. Oh yeah. Because your mind, it just like, you gotta figure out, like you have to handle certain things certain times and like actually do stuff that's life. Right. You have to, but then like, there's certain times where we force chaos into our own lives. Un needly, you know? Mm-hmm. And it's, I don't know if it's what it goes into the human psyche of like, some people like that, some people need it, you know, they feel that rush off of it, but it's like, we just gotta take that out. I don't know. And like, and it goes into like the, it's an individual you can go back to like what the root was not the problem. What's the root? Yeah. Well I answered that call and then my mind's all fucked off because I c and I can't swing into the next three holes. I'm like pissed off. And then my whole day's fucked cuz I'm, I wasted 60 bucks on golf. Yeah. Nine balls, you know, times two to 50 a ball. I'm like, Exactly. You know? But if I just didn't take that call, calm after the court, you know, then everything's fine and I can handle it. Better. It's like, but you hit on that in life. And sometimes again, is a restaurant burning down answer that call, do they not have orange juice? Right. So they're going figure it out. Go to hair shoes. You can figure it out. You know, but we all take that on our lives where we just think everything is like an emergency And that's good. Like for golf

Tyler:

too, right? Because I started picking up golf just recently as well, too.

Denis:

Good. You gotta get your swings in. I know. Yeah. I know where to go too.

Tyler:

And that's one of the things like, if you don't have your mind set on swinging properly and hitting that ball, you will know that your mind is

Denis:

elsewhere because that ball will go elsewhere. Yeah. Golf, I mean, golf for me, and I play a lot with my buddy den, he owns Tap T bar. Yeah. He's one of my best friends and it's like, it's mental you mm-hmm. I'm like, and it helps me be calm. I need golf. It helps me and my, my mind is, Hm. Hamster that never stops running on that ball. Yeah. Like, I can't slow down. Rachel will tell you, I'll sit up in bed, I'll be at bed. And she's like, what are you doing? It's three 30. I'm like, I don't know. Yep. I don't know. I thought about something yet. And here we are. I literally don't know why I'm up but I'm here and I'm gonna get up at eight. Don't worry. Yep. But I'm still here right now and I'm just, you know, and so like golf kind of help if on good days she knows Jim working out water, getting outdoor golf is outdoors, you know, it's like it helps me just, yeah. Which I need it a lot, you know? And remind myself in our chaotic life of everything, you know, relationships, restaurant, everything is just breathe again. Mm-hmm. we do this thing called a te call. Me and Rachel went to Mexico last March. Yeah. And that was another, like a life shifting thing. It was this te call, it's a sha tent. It's like a hot tent. Okay. It was an hour. It's an hour. I don't even know. There's four sessions to it though. And like what it is is like you go into a hot tent and there's all this chanting, banging and fucking, it was crazy. The craziest sober out of body experience I've ever had. Really legit out of body. I died and came back to life. My face went like, and they say it's all your energy being transferred out cuz it's so hot and like there's water. I had to lay on the, I was like, Thought I had died at one point. A legit was like, make sure you're breathing. I was like, it was insane. So it's an hour and it's four different sessions and like what you do is you put your inten again, you start out and you put your intentions in the beginning. Everyone says their intention, you receive it and you have to put it out there. Mm-hmm. And then they start this whole process and each one gets hotter and hotter and hotter. I thought I tried to quit We did. They, they dragged my ass back in there. legit. They're like, you're halfway through. You can't end up looking freakish like this cuz my face, her Rachel's hands cuz their energy, her hands pinned out. My face. I couldn't, I was like, It was my, it was like all this anxiety and whatever stress came to my face and it was like, my face, like froze, like my hands, like I was talking like, dude, and eventually, like, it wound out like after an hour, but my whole face was frozen. They were like, this is like this, your energy just releasing. And that's part of it. It's like you, and like in that, I was like, I told her, Rachel, after her, I was like, I literally was in like a, I saw like a light. It was like I was in a, I've never, like, you go into like a blackness of like, you're in a trance. Mm-hmm. And it was insane. Wow. Cause you're so hot and it's like you're fighting for survival, but you're on the ground and then you hear the noise and like your mind just, you just, you're displaced again. You're present. You're so present in that moment that you're only you in your mind and your inner thoughts of like, Whoa. That's crazy. But we came out of that. I tell people all the time, like after that experience and she made me do it. It was during the Superbowl, we miss the first half of the Superbowl. We, we signed up for it and I was like, oh fuck, we're in Tulum. And I was like, no, we gotta watch the Superbowl. And she was like, we signed up for this babe. And I was like, she like, I'll do it by myself. And I was like, I'm so glad I didn't do it myself. I would've like, oh my God. It was so, yeah. And I was like, you know what? I go, we're in Tulum. I love you. Fuck the Superbowl. I'm gonna do this with you. We'll see the second half. And we did it and we watched second half and like, but afterwards I was like, I've again, it's one of those that I at attribute recently a lot and I go back to that, to my being cuz it got chaotic. Our lives were chaotic and like I am just like much more like right now, like across the board from that experience and like. future business. Bring that thing here. I'm like, that was insane. Like the guys down there, they do it every two weeks. Oh my goodness. So people were in there and like, we met this couple from California. They fly down once a month to go do this. And it's like that. Insane. And like people are, and after they don't, the anxie, like their faces aren't freezing, obviously. Like mine and her hand around because you're, you release it though. But it's like the most ultimate, like, it's great for your skin. Like your, it's not just your mind, it's your body. And like your digestion starts, you know? And like afterwards we smoked raw cigarettes and they're like, the problem is, you know, tobacco in that culture, it's a release, right. You know, you breathe in your releasing. With tobacco. It's, you know, in those settings, again, we didn't use the shit out of it. Obviously I'm smoking a vape here. I'm like, you know, but in that setting, I'm sure they don't have a bunch of tar and stuff and No, it's raw tobacco. It was raw tobacco like, and they, I talked to Shaman and we sat there. Cause my, I'm trying to like fruit afterwards and I'm talking Oh dude. I felt I couldn't, I was like trying to talk to people and I'm like holding my belt over my base and they're like, just let it. And I'm, I don't know, I it was, I didn't recognize him. Yeah. That's crazy. My whole base like froze out. It was crazy. And they were like, that's your energy. It was so swollen. I didn't recognize him. Wow. Yeah. That's

Chris:

insane. It was funny. I mean, it makes sense because that's probably the things that you're mentioning that froze up are the things that. Use all the time. And that you put a lot of energy into. So like when it has to release

Tyler:

outta it, you

Denis:

know. I never thought about that. Your hand. I was

Tyler:

gonna say. Yeah. I was like,

Denis:

actually that makes a lot of sense. I never thought about it. They don't pull it to you. It just moves. It moves. Yeah. I like freaked out cuz I was like, try never remember to breathe. And then I was like, I looked over and I was like, Dennis, my hands and my, it just like, and it was dark in there. There's a little fire and it's dark. Your hands and it smoke. All it is is smoke. You barely see each other. And at one point I tried to grab her cause I was like dying and like she thought it was somebody else and she runs away like, and then she recognizes it was me. And I'm like, no, please come here I need like some soulless like right. But I never thought about that Chris. Like that's. Me, it's face, like your hands, like it's talk I, talk, talk, talk, talk. Yes. Right. I do a lot of talk, a lot of facial expressions. Unfortunately, I talk a lot and I mean, you're, you the hair, hair main studio, you know? And that's the part that like really scared me because I didn't think they were ever gonna get back. So I was. Oh my

Tyler:

god. Goodness. This is my job.

Denis:

I'm like, look at my face. I have to see people The only other time my face ever looked like that was my junior year of high, sophomore year of high school, I got poisoned ivy on my neck and iwell out. That's a good thing. Was gonna say

Tyler:

you

Denis:

guys

Tyler:

remember hitch when he had

Denis:

the Oh, no, no. My face looked like that face. I thought I was, I thought it was allergic to like the eucalyptus or something. Something. It could have been that, I don't know. It could have been that. I don't know. But he was, I tried to quit, like I said, the third quarter there apparent those four pieces. They like stuck him in a shower. They like made, go out there. They, the shaman came out and put some oils on me and all this, and then he is like, you have to come back. And I was like, oh, no, go back. But it makes sense. But, and then it, it makes sense. You have to finish the pro again. It goes again. There's a lot. You have to finish everything you do right? Because there's a process and like, you know, it's like that picture. You always see the, the minor chipping away gets small diamond, then there's the big diamond right behind them. Mm-hmm. It's like life is like that. You finish your intentionally go into something and finish it. Mm-hmm. if you quit in the middle, you'll end up with a fat face,

Tyler:

It's cool you bring that up too though. Even, even when I was in middle school, I played football and I wanted to quit halfway through the season just because of like the coaching and everything else. And my dad was like, you started something, you're gonna finish it. And at the end of that season I ended up with the winning touchdown of the championship. And

Denis:

now that's the most, probably one of the most sports memorable moments in your life. Exactly. It's one of the

Tyler:

reasons like for sports one and two, just like, Hey, I started this. I need to finish. I could have that, that championship winning touchdown. So yeah,

Denis:

very similar. Exactly. And you know, it's like, you know, we all have my, my older brother is black sheep of our family. Mm-hmm. And I try to tell him all the time, I'm like, he sets these lavish goals, like, ah, I need to do this and this and this. And I'm like, again, it goes back to like, finish small goals. Yeah. Small things and build on that, and then stretch your goals. Yep. You know, you need to feel completion and success before you can set a goal that is unattainable. Yeah. You need to feel good. It's that snowball of positivity. Mm-hmm. just roles in itself. And like, you start feeling better. It's confidence. Okay, now I can really fucking go do this. And then your mind is actually ready to roll. Mm-hmm. if you just like, all right, I'm gonna go start an. what are you building it off of? Right. You know, it goes take the first step. Yeah. And that's part of why expansion our rounds, like we never did like went to the Charlie Grander thing. I was like, you know, with the franchise, I brought this up in like franchise meetings with the owners and like the founders and stuff. I was like, guys, like we need to have better base here. And who knows what happened ever with that. I thought, I think it was more like, I feel like it's a pond scheme. Who knows? It's weird. You know, you go into it. I think it was odd, you know, it was a unproven, it was Charlie grs. The original was proven here for one and you could see why it could be franchise. Well, I dunno if y'all ever went there. Sure. Yeah. It was, it could be, but it wasn't a model you could really sell as like, What they sold it for. Right. Retirement package. Oh, you can work nine to four and make a million dollars a year selling hotdog, man, you know, fucking hot dogs. You have to sell a lot of hot dogs. That's what I started thinking and that's why I was like, I don't want, and this one of the rounds things goes, I've been a part of that. Like I don't want a million dollars is what I felt needed to be the A model. Right. Personally before I'd ever willing to preach it and sell it. Like water sell as a concept. What's funny too

Tyler:

is when I first started in jewelry, I was at Helberg and my regional manager, when we were having a bad off, you could sell one expensive diamond and make your whole entire month. Yeah. Essentially. Yeah. And she would always say, keep going. Chris has giving me a look. It's, it's a long story. But anyway, I worked in a very small mall at a very small story. It made sense anyway though. But what she would always say is, we're not selling hot dogs. So, which kind of goes

Denis:

to that point? That's a lot of hot dogs. A lot of hot dogs. Two 50 a hotdog to make a million. And I was like, you were selling a million dollar dream to these people. 50. And what, you know, they were selling to people, you know, one, these couple in north Myrtle, I love them. I felt bad they were getting in was I'm just here to build up, help them, train them. I can't tell'em all my thoughts. This is my opinion though. And I, you know, and I was like, they're, they, the dude sold mattresses and he made, you know, good money. Then he, they pretty much put their life savings into a restaurant. I'm like, I tell everybody, don't get into restaurants. You're, you're signed up and not worth, it's forever. It's labor, it's food costing, you know, boxes. And you just, again, we open our door and we hope people show up. Mm-hmm. that's it. You know, you can promote, you can have the great food, but like, there's gonna be a day that people just don't show up, you know? Yeah. It's just not your day. And that's restaurants like you hope. And that's what I tell everybody. It's, it's uncertainty of life. You just, you know, you do your best. And you just go and you hope the best comes out. And that's like our, in a restaurant mentality. That's what I tell the staff. I'm like, unless we have reservations, we have parties that we can go seek and book. I'm like, then we just open our door and hope, you know, yeah, you guys show up for lunch, you guys decide that you want to eat rounds at lunch today instead of it being five guys or go to Harris Teeter for a sub or something. Like, nah, you want that. Like, again, that camaraderie real quick. You want to have a sit down, you wanna like fucking enjoy a lunch. It's different when you just go pick up something and go, you know? And sometimes your mentality is like that, but that's what I say, customer service, right? It goes into, no, I, I need this today. I'm gonna go hang out. Yes, I'm here to hang, like I want to have a lunch that actually I enjoy, you know? Yeah. And that's customer service side. We're, we're all seek something, you know? I mean, We open our doors and we hope y'all show up. Yeah.

Tyler:

we came up on 60 minutes pretty real quick. Yeah. So I have one last question for you then. If you were to tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Denis:

Ah, I played this over my head a lot. Well, first it would've been invest in Bitcoin early Exactly. That, that too. man. Also. Well, it,

Chris:

that's how you know he's listened to the podcast cuz he's at least thought about this question. Right.

Denis:

It probably would've been just don't be an idiot with your money when you're young. Like, how much money I wasted just going out. Like it's, and that's one of the reasons like, you know, drinking, it's like, you know why it stopped and like you think about it, how much money we'd go out and party during our twenties, 18, 19, 20, 21 in college. Mm-hmm. go out to the bar. A hundred dollars,$50 a night and you're going out four nights a week. Five nights a week. Yeah. And then you're like, thinking about that, it's like$300 a week past my paycheck, bro. I would legit work and make like$300 and be like, I come home the next day and I'd be like, oh, I gotta, I made a hundred last night. That's cool. I spent 200, yeah. At tomorrow on something I probably don't remember on people I didn't care about that aren't even here in my life anymore. I'm like, you know, and that's that part, that's the only thing I'd ever say back is just be smarter with your money. Don't work for endless. Like, it goes into intentional stuff, like don't work for the scene. You know? I worked to go out back then it was like, and, and that happens a lot here too in Wilmington where you get caught up into, you know, get lost in the sauce, is what I call it. Yeah. People get, it's a lifestyle, but you can pull yourself out and still. Here and there, you know, but that's kind of what got me into all this anyways. It's like bartending downtown. It's, it's a hard dichotomy,

Tyler:

especially with bartending too, because Yeah, this is what I tell everyone. I I, I've told your staff as well too, as long as everyone, every other staff I've ever met is like if you are in bartending, you can make good money. Yeah. However, I understand, I've been in customer service as well too in many different ways. It's stressful. You want to release that stress. If you can balance that dichotomy of making the best of being in that bar service industry Yeah. And not going crazy. When you have that chance to go by yourself, you will have a great

Denis:

career. You can make six figures bartending easy in Wilmington. Easily. Easily. Mm-hmm. The problem is, like you say, that release you and drop 40 K of that on your friends. Exactly. Yeah. You know, so you made 60. That's cool. Yeah. But you dropped literally 40 k in drinking and I, you know, when I was bartending downtown, I remember I'd spend more money tipping my friends. Mm-hmm. then I did on actual drinks. Yeah. You're just throw again, throwing money. Like we, like, we didn't earn it, you know, and I'm like, and again, you know, again, now that I'm older, you know, drank enough whiskey, had enough wisdom. Yep. And slowed down. I'm like, you know, again, time is the only currency we have. Mm-hmm. and I don't even remember those nights. Half of them, you know, brown outs blackouts, who knows. Yeah. We were partying and it was too much and I was like, you know, and it's like slow down and actually just go out, have drinks. Yeah. I don't have to buy everywhere at the bar shot though. Exactly.

Chris:

I'm in a three drink max now

Tyler:

after 75 party. We're only at two here, so I can't get past two

Chris:

Well, no. So I have to go. So it's Sunday, so we're gonna get lunch. And then I'll probably go to Star. Because Emily loves the painkillers they have on Sundays. Oh, where's that? Starling. It's literally like, oh,

Denis:

that's in the car.

Chris:

So we, we support where we stay. Yeah.

Denis:

You again, it's community, man. So you guys

Tyler:

work in Mayfair. So we go to rounding

Denis:

for lunch, and then when we're here, we go over to Starling. So no. Support the community though. Yeah. It's like And you're not going to like Chilis. Exactly. Yeah. No. We found a local bar that we like and like, that's us. Like, yeah, we're a franchise, but we're not like, we're not exactly. If you think about rounds as me and John Lito's a franchise, this is our food. But like, it's not a, we're not our concept. It's not. Yeah. And you feel it. Exactly. Definitely. The vibe's not corporate. I'm like, and I run it, I built rounds to be an accumulation of all the restaurants I worked at to be the restaurant I always wanted to work at. Yeah. And like there's systems and there's standards in place, but I'm like, what I require more is just personality. Be, have fun, work hard. And just do your job. Mm-hmm. I'm like, it ain't hard. Yeah. And then you have to be, I was a management, you have to be on people. But like, again, if you instill that like, hey, their money needs to be made. But like, you don't have to have a stressful like, oh, you're Salt Shaker, six Grain, slight Right. I've been there, I was a corporate trainer at Bonefish for years. I like, oh yeah. I fucking hated it, man. And like, I've done it. Like again, I want this to be able to be, you know, rounds. I hope it grows. I hope in three to five years we got'em all across. You know, there was nothing though. Yeah. You know, when we did it, we did a research trip to Florida and there was this Golo girls and like, it was like Hooters of simulator golf and it was fucking, that's We laughed about it. Cause I'm like, there's 0% chance I would ever bring this to rounds or to Wilmington. You know, I was like, this is not the model. Then there was, you know, there was none of'em, but now they're popping up here and more. Mm-hmm. But I think what we have is something that could actually expand. So I'm hoping in the next couple years we'll see, you know, Grow rounds, grow it and you know, sell it and be free. Yeah. You know, go back to New Zealand. Not bad at all. Yeah. That's the plan. So I know it's been running man. I appreciate you guys though. Yeah, definitely. Thank you so much for coming on.

Tyler:

And go ahead Chris.

Chris:

I just wanna say thank you so much for supporting us letting us drink at rounds getting us started on the whiskey club. There are three tiers there. So you guys started, I

Denis:

found it Silver, gold, and platinum Chris is still on his first one. Yes.

Tyler:

Chris is

Denis:

taking his time, like a normal pure. I took two years, so it's okay at my own place,

Chris:

So definitely go check them out. Is there a social media

Denis:

for you guys? Yep. Rounds Golf, Wilm, and we have a Facebook page. Yeah. Come check us out. It's like, it's phenomenal. So I think it's one of the best bar. We are the best bar whiskey bar in Wilmington. Hands down, quality wise. I mean, other places have bigger selections, but what we have as far as everything, you're like, wow. One of the things I've

Tyler:

always said to like, you just don't even have the space to have the whiskey collection that like our rebellion has. Yeah. But when it comes to like the breadth of availability of whiskey,

Denis:

you definitely have the best. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, yeah, over on the, we don't, we have 114 right now. Oh wow. And but it's like, that's a lot, you know? And, but they're all bangers. Yeah, they're all good. Yeah, they're all good. I'm not buy. You're 20. Like I get sold on a couple things here and there, but they're off the shelf quick. Right. I'm like, everything up there is something I enjoy. Y'all enjoy. Sometimes I do with a group opinion, Hey, I pick this up, what do y'all think here? That's the days you guys come here, sample this and let me know what you think. Is it worth putting this on the board? Yeah. And you know, I appreciate you guys and like my people and my regulars. You know, one of the big people for me, I don't, you know, you've talked to him, Ryan Payne. Mm-hmm. Yeah. He's I don't know if you met him. He works at Encino. He's I've probably, he sits at the bar. He's my other chicken tenders and fries. Guy, That's true. Every time. No, I I'll go Buffet you. He's like, yeah, like, like it was, I, he was confused. I asked him, that's how regular it is, but love it. He and I, I, Tyler was there one day and I introduced him. I was like, this is my, he introduced me and explained whiskeys so much more for me. And I will try to introduce you next time he's there. He's awesome tech guy younger, but he knows his shit and like he, he's taught me about what again, what the whiskey list or what the whiskey club teaches you. Teaches you rise cherries, bourbons, barrels, scotches. You know, your, your Asian, like Japanese whiskeys, your, your pallet needs to open up just like wine. Yeah. You know, you can't just jump into these good whiskeys and appreciate it. The same unless. Pallet is ready for it, like wine. Mm-hmm. And I tell my friends that it's like you start where the Pinot noir, you just hammer PIs. Yep. Until you can graduate to like a blend or a Malbec and then all of a sudden you get to cabs. And once you get, and then when I'm like, I'm not gonna give somebody Caymus, they, you go, oh, that's good. Right. You don't even know what you're drinking. You know, of course you're gonna say it's good, but you don't know. Like you can't, it's a chewing one. Like you can literally, and like whiskeys are the same. You guys appreciate Now the more that you go through, but your pallet as you're drinking this much for a year now, on, on here, you can taste more in them, right? Oh, definitely. Yeah. And you can taste the rise. And you can taste, I dunno if you have, you have some cherries? Yeah, we have a couple back there. I try this one. I'm gonna put one little quick one star war from Australia. Australia, yeah. The one we had last week. It's a sweet one, but I just wanna try the, again, I've never tried a Australian whiskey. And so that's kind of a, again, appreciate that. Yeah. Yeah. I like, it's weird smells fruity.

Chris:

Yep. But that's the point of this is like we gain wisdom from just life, but also from trying different whiskeys.

Denis:

Interesting. Right. It's conversa, you know? You know, you'd bring perspective on that and then it op and we all have a different take on it. Yeah. Which is what I like. And I love watching Rachel drink Whiskey. taste like medicine. again, all of them do because her palette isn't ready. Right. That's what again it goes into that. Everything tastes the same to her. Doesn't matter if I gave her whistle Pig 18, I instant remember You gotta try that. You tried that. I dunno if you had it. No, no. I gave, I'll give you a little bit. It's the best whiskey we have. It's 700 bottle, one of 156 ever made. I bought all three in New Hannover County two years ago. We're on our last one. I debated for a while if one's gonna fall off the shelf in my house, Right. But I've sold enough of it and we drank it there and I like to give people tries of that. But we sell for 125 a pour. Yeah. But if I give her that, She would think the same damn thing. She'd be like, oh, is this Australian whiskey? But that goes into that palette. You have to graduate. You know what I mean? It's, you gotta go take your steps. And then I'm like, okay, now you're ready. Yes. All right. Young Padawan, right? No, but hey, and I owe you couple. I got a bottle of I'm gonna give you guys the Basil. Hated Toasted. Sounds good. It's a limited release. Fucking amazing. I don't really like toasted barrel whiskeys a lot. Mm-hmm. But it's for you guys. Thanks for having me on. Thanks for always being great friends and great customers. And no, it's a, it's a cool one to have the toasted. Yeah. Because you got the regular one. I don't know if they even sell it anymore right now, but I got, I stock up, you know. Awesome. Yeah. When I see'em, I'm like, they gonna arrive I'll try to buy everything I got. Exactly. Cause you know, again, you never know what it's gonna run out. Yeah. That's the hardest thing about the club. Like you can't keep up with stuff right now. Yeah. But I try to, so, You're doing good. Yeah, that's good.

Chris:

Yeah. Thank you so much Dennis, for popping on here. Follow Tyler in the, the social medias cuz we are giving away a big bottle, a hollerer head. Yep. And if I don't say it enough, thank you guys for listening. And check out rounds. Come find me.

Tyler:

I'll eat

Denis:

chicken tenders. You will see 1145 to 1230 about twice a week.

Tyler:

Yeah. Which is accurate. Yeah.

Denis:

Three or four times a week will be Christmas. Sometimes a little bit later. Yeah, sometimes she is like three 30.

Chris:

Yeah.

Denis:

I love it. But Tyler, on cue 1150. Exactly. one of our, usually one of our first cuz like we open out 11 people don't memorial in. I'm like, it's s lunch. I'm like, again, you open your doors, you hope people show up. Sometimes I watch Tyler walk by and I go, Where is he going? Fucking cheater I literally say that out loud. I'll say it to you too, Chris, I watch you walk by. I'm like, but that's the part I'm like, I'll give them shit if I open the door. You'll be like, Hey, where the fuck you going I turn around and walk in. If you don't like, okay, I won't get snack hair theater. I don't. I'm like, that's the options though. Like you need that. You're probably gonna go, you know what I mean? It's like more budget. Well, who knows? Like, but that's life like, but when y'all walk in, I'm like, I'm not gonna pressure anybody coming rounds, but I'll give you shit. We're not coming. No, I appreciate you guys. This has been awesome. Thank you. Yeah, definitely. Thank you so much. Ramble so much. I don't know if you guys said too much. Oh no, that's perfect.

Tyler:

That's what a podcast. Perfect. So thank you. We appreciate it. Love it.

Denis:

Look out for the hot. This is what my face blew up over the tennis call, right? No, that I wish. Did you get a picture? I did, yeah. All three of you. No. No. Yeah, we'll get one. Yeah, we get, that's funny though. Thank you guys. And this Hollerer head was actually delicious on your face. Yeah, good stuff. That was bomb. Appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you guys. Cheer

Tyler:

mind us on Spotify, apple Podcast, Stitcher, all the good stuff.

Denis:

See you soon. Bye boy. I.

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